If you're new here then Hi! My names Georgia & I'm the Florist behind Freckles & Flowers. If you follow my Instagram (frecklesandflowers_) you know how much I love a long post caption & PSA so I thought it was about time I started the blog feature on my website! I would love this space to become a safe haven where we can talk all about LGBTQ+ love and weddings and I can provide some educational content along the way as well as sharing some queer joy and creativity.
The Face Behind The Flowers:
My flower journey began back when I was 17 & struggling with grief and generally what I wanted to do with my life. I knew university wasn't for me, I felt like I'd reached my limit within traditional education & I'd finished my a levels in photography & textiles which were the only two subjects I felt a sense of passion about. I had lost one of biggest cheerleaders in life, my wonderful Nanna (or Nanish as we called her) and the only thing I found some kind of comfort in during that time was the designing of her funeral flowers. I can remember being stood in her kitchen whilst all the tributes covered her garden in a blanket of petals & I asked my mum "where do you think you go to learn floristry?" and she replied "I have no idea but we can find out". That was the start of my floral journey & off I went to a land based college (my classroom was literally in the back of a garden centre) where I learnt the formal basics before landing a job in a little boutique flower shop where I worked my way up for around 4 years. There's a whole other story here which I'm sure I'll unpack with you one day but for now just know homophobia is still alive and kicking & my exit out of there looked more like a breakdown but it's all part of the story as to why I'm a visible & proud LGBTQ+ wedding supplier today.
Taking The Leap To LGBTQ+ Love & Weddings:
So you may be thinking how did I ended up with my queer owned and operated business? Well let me start by saying it was a leap, I'd had some pretty rough times in employment for various reasons and it all culminated in me moving from Kent to Liverpool. It was such a big move and I didn't realise how much it would impact me until I had to start navigating a new city for the most part on my own, luckily for me Liverpool is full of some of the friendliest and most supportive people who welcome you in and are always happy to lend a hand. It was here that I started fresh in many ways and I decided it was now or never, I knew I wanted to work in flowers again, I truly felt and still do feel that it's what I've been put on this earth to do. Flowers feel so natural in my hands, they're my way of expressing connection and my chosen art form, I'm certain they'll always be one of my biggest loves in life because within them I've found both healing and purpose. After such a tough end to my previous floral chapter I knew I wanted to do things on my own terms this time around. There was a lot of figuring it out as I went, I went down one path and then chose another, I started creating a brand image then changed it and I finally decided that if this was to be true and authentic to me then I had to come out again but this time in my business. As I started to be true to myself and share the fight I had behind my flowers the more I started to connect with the queer and inclusive side of the wedding industry. My message aligned with couples and I began being a part of beautiful LGBTQ+ weddings where LGBTQ+ love was celebrated and I felt like I'd finally found my home.
The Journey Continues:
Now I've found the queer and inclusive side of weddings there's no going back! I'm a lesbian Florist on a mission to make the wedding industry more inclusive and accessible for all love. I know the couples that want to work with me don't just book me because of my style of flowers but also because of the work I do behind the scenes. Sharing my queer experiences and the struggles our LGBTQ+ community still face especially when it comes to planning a wedding is where I find real motivation to continue. I've seen and heard the difference LGBTQ+ representation can make and knowing my couples feel so safe to be entirely themselves and open with their wedding vision is what keeps me going every day!
A Final Note:
So, thank you for making it to the end of my very first blog post! It's so important for me to connect with you because I truly feel like so much value can be found in community. I adore being an out and proud LGBTQ+ wedding supplier and I would love to continue to share not just my experiences but yours too. My aim is to continue to bring you some much needed LGBTQ+ wedding inspiration (the authentic kind) whilst also serving up some tips, tricks and educational content along the way. If you enjoyed this blog post I would be so grateful if you left me a comment and subscribed, you can also share my post far and wide so I can find the community that may be looking for a wedding Florist just like me!
Sending Love,
G